Pitt County schools let students out three hours early Friday. It's the first time in years they say they've had early dismissal due to the threat of snow.

Parents at W.H. Robinson School in Winterville picked up their little ones around 11:00 a.m. and by 11:30 a.m. Friday the school was almost empty. School leaders say they have 24,000 students in the district with 12,500 of them riding the bus which is why they decided Thursday night the best time to get students home would be before 4:00 p.m.

"We err, first and foremost on the side of safety for our staff and students , but we're also considerate that there is someone at home to deal with the children," said Aaron Beaulieu with Pitt County Schools

Several schools districts had early dismissal Friday. Parents we spoke to say they were fortunate to have enough time to make arrangements to pick up their children, although some say it would have been nice to have more time to prepare.

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